Icon: Emil Gilels - Complete EMI Recordings: 1954-1972

EMIL GILES -ONE OF THE GREATEST PIANIST OF ALL TIME. VERY REASONABLY PRICED AND SHOULD BE IN EVERY CLASSICAL PIANO ENTHUSIAST COLLECTION

This Icon Box, which is excellent value for money [at lest in the UK - in the USA it may be more expensive] claims to contain all the recordings the great Russian pianist made for EMI. That seems not quite true, as he recorded Schumann's Nachtstucke for EMI in London in the late 60s, and they are missing for the set; probably because the rights belong to the Russian label, Melodya.All items were recorded between 1954 and 1972; in Paris, London, Cleveland and New York.The repertoire here is somewhat limited, insofar as we have two complete cycles of the Beethoven concertos - the earlier made in Europe with different conductors between 1954 [No.3 in mono] and 1957 [4&5 in stereo]; and the latter in Cleveland with Szell in 1968. [Frankly, I greatly prefer Szell's earlier set with Leon Fleischer.] In addition there are three short sets of Beethoven variations, but no sonatas. There are the three Tchaikovsky concertos from 1972, and earlier [mono] versions of Rachmaninoff 3 and Saint-Saens 2. Solo works include a Mozart sonata, K570; Chopin's Funeral March sonata, and three of the Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues Op. 87 [1,5&24]. There is much to admire here: for me, the highlights are the earlier Beethoven 4, with Leopold Ludwig, the Saint-Saens, and the Shostakovich - truly stunning playing.But this set leaves out [because recorded for other companies] many of the works for which Gilels is best known. There is no Scarlatti, Bach, Schubert, Schumann, Grieg, Brahms or Liszt here; no chamber music, no Beethoven sonatas. For those one must go to his later recordings for DGG, and the small but excellent CBS and RCA legacy. Gilels also left many live performances; from London, Moscow, Salzburg, Italy and elsewhere: and though these sometimes reveal a pianist who is not note-perfect, they often give a better, and more immediate picture of the great Lion of the Keyboard who will be familiar to those who heard him in the flesh.So while it is good to have [almost] all his EMI tapings gathered together in a single bargain box, those interested in the pianist's wider repertoire will need to look elsewhere for works with which he is most closely associated; in particular the Brahms concertos and late solo works, the Beethoven sonatas, and his Schubert and Liszt sonatas and shorter works, including his incomparabe Grieg Lyric Pieces.But this set is not to be missed at the price [around $20 from some sellers], notwithstanding the Beethoven concerto duplications.

EMI's "Icon" series sometimes unearths some fairly rare or out-of-print recordings, while most of the time it is an exercise in repackaging, admittedly at a very good price. Unless you are a Gilels completist, however, I'd steer clear of this 9-CD box set. A good deal of room is taken by two complete Beethoven concerto cycles, the first in mixed mono and stereo with Andre Vandernoot and Leopold Ludwig (both routine), the second in stereo with Szell and the Clevelanders. both are unimaginative accounts, despite the pianist's undoubted power and authority, and the later cycle is particularly unfortunate in that Szell was in physical decline. I detected almost no change in Gilels' interpretations in the span between 1954 and 1970. Gilels also recorded the sets of solo Beethoven theme and variations in 1970, and these two are authoritative but heavy-handed. He overwhelms the Saint-Saens Cto. #2 in an impressive way but has not much to say in the Rachmaninov third.And so it goes. I once thought that this pianist was fiery and interesting in his younger years but grew dull and conventional in maturity, and in general I still hold to that. by the time he died in 1985, a few days before turning 69, he was a revered artist, so my lack of enthusiasm is a minority report. Even so, I think DG got the best of late Gilels, not EMI. The best of all comes from reprint labels that issue his Russian recordings and live concerts, where he was at is best. In this box set I enjoyed some items: a sober but absorbing Mozart Sonata in B-flat K. 570, and a resounding Tchaikovsky Piano Cto. #2 in its old abridged form (which some may still prefer in this long-winded work). It and the infinitely more popular Tchaikovsky first are vigorously conducted by Lorin Maazel with the New Philharmonia Orch., but EMI has done nothing to improve their coarse recorded sound. the same goes for the unfinished and negligible Cto. #3.the best that could have been gleaned from the vaults would have filled only four or five CDs, but they would have served Gilels the artist better than this motley overstuffed collection. True believers are free to disagree, of course.Here are the complete contents:Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-5 (complete)32 Variations on an Original Theme in C minor, WoO 8012 Variations on a Russian Dance, WoO 716 Variations on an Original Theme 'Die Ruinen von Athen', Op. 76Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 'Marche funèbre'Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 17 in B flat major, K570Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30Saint-Saëns: Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22Shostakovich: Prelude & Fugue for piano, Op. 87 No. 5 in D majorPrelude & Fugue for piano, Op. 87 No. 24 in D minorPrelude & Fugue for piano, Op. 87 No. 1 in C majorTchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor, Op. 23Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Op. 44(edited Siloti)Piano Concerto No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 75

A giudizio dei savi universale, per dirla alla maniera dell'Ariosto, Emil Gilels è riconosciuto come interprete ideale dei concerti di Brahms: "pianista di autentico suono brahmsiano", sintetizza Mila. Queste sue interpretazioni non sono però presenti nel nostro album della collana Icon, perché in forza ai cataloghi di altre case (DG con Jochum, Sony con Reiner); e lo stesso vale per le non meno leggendarie interpretazioni mozartiane con Böhm (sempre DG). Le musiche comprese in rassegna - vale a dire l'intero corpus gilelsiano della EMI britannica (niente Melodija) - bastano e avanzano comunque a dimostrare che, in realtà, il virtuoso ucraino era interprete ideale per qualunque repertorio o quasi: tanto più che si tratta di incisioni risalenti al suo periodo di più smagliante forma fisica e artistica.In apertura è giustamente collocata l'integrale beethoveniana del 1968 con l'orchestra di Cleveland diretta da George Szell. È risaputo che imprese del genere danno spesso i risultati migliori quando vedono affiancati interpreti dai caratteri antitetici, tipo Pollini-Böhm o Kempff-Van Kempen: e se in quest'ultimo caso si osservava il perfetto affiatamento tra un pianista apollineo e un direttore dionisiaco, nel nostro si può dire che i termini si capovolgano, producendo quale risultante una mirabile sintesi di trasparenza ed energia, di cura dei dettagli e di senso del rilievo. Vertice della serie è più che mai il limpidissimo e liricissimo Quarto, mentre l'Imperatore è insolitamente ricco di sfumature espressive e il Terzo più leonino - ma anche più luminoso e trasparente - che mai. Se ci si vuole fare davvero un'idea del livello d'intelligenza e di raffinatezza cui giunge quest'interpretazione, bisogna però guardare al rondò del Primo, con i suoi vividissimi effetti di sforzando e di controtempo (specie nel secondo tema), e, nell'episodio in rallentando che prepara la conclusione, quell'improvviso senso di distensione e di dilatazione, come fuori dal tempo e dello spazio, che sarà una della costanti del Gilels ultima maniera.I cicli beethoveniani, per la verità, sono addirittura due: certo le incisioni del 1957 con André Vandernoot (Primo e Secondo) e con Leopold Ludwig (Quarto e Quinto) non possono competere sul piano orchestrale con quelle di Szell, anche se per la parte pianistica è spesso arduo scegliere quale versione preferire. Il Terzo del 1954, invece, ci mette ancora una volta a confronto con un direttore beeethoveniano di prima forza, stavolta André Cluytens (che pochi anni dopo sarebbe stato il primo a realizzare l'integrale delle sinfonie in studio con i Berliner).Il direttore belga affianca Gilels anche nel Secondo di Saint-Saëns e nel Terzo di Rachmaninov, versioni entrambe di assoluto riferimento (anche se per quest'ultimo il pianista tendeva a preferire quella dal vivo del 1962 a Filadelfia: e si può capirlo, perché, quando si ha a che fare con Rachmaninov, la presenza di Ormandy sul podio può davvero fare la differenza).Quasi sicuramente da primato è l'integrale dei concerti di Ciaikovski realizzata nel 1972 con la New Philharmonia diretta da Maazel (non foss'altro perché gli altri solisti di pari grado si sono per lo più limitati a prendere in considerazione il Primo). Il Secondo, come d'uso fino a tempi recenti, è presentato nella versione "scorciata" da Siloti, ma è davvero difficile immaginarne un'interpretazione altrettanto brillante: qui abbiamo più che mai di fronte il "pianista d'acciaio", capace di snocciolare come niente fosse le più incredibili mitragliate di note, ma senza sacrificare neppure per un attimo la luminosità, la freschezza e il senso del respiro.Completano la panoramica alcune splendide incisioni per pianoforte solo. Di Beethoven abbiamo tre serie di variazioni: le 32 in do minore (che potrebbero a buon diritto chiamarsi "La Follia" di Beethoven, visto che il tema è sostanzialmente lo stesso usato da Corelli e da tanti altri), quelle in la maggiore su una danza russa e quelle in re maggiore sulla marcia turca delle Rovine di Atene, tutte datate 1968 come i concerti, che il pianista affronta con mirabolante spolvero di virtuosismo percussivo. La lettura della sonata K. 570 di Mozart (1954), tanto sensibile alle sfumature espressive quanto attenta agli equilibri architettonici, testimonia la dimestichezza di Gilels con il lascito mozartiano di Gieseking e Schnabel, due figure di riferimento della sua formazione. Un po' atipica ma di straordinaria intensità la sonata n. 2 di Chopin (del 1955), che trova più che mai il centro di gravità espressivo nel trio della Marcia funebre. Infine, tre differenziatissimi preludi e fughe (n. 1,5 e 24) dall'op. 87 di Shostakovic, risposta sovietica al Clavicembalo ben temperato in occasione del giubileo bachiano del 1950: qui non è improprio parlare di "interpretazione autentica", trattandosi di esecuzioni presentate a pochi anni dalla composizione e in un contesto di assidua frequentazione fra autore ed interprete.Il box è corredato da un libretto con note illustrative di Richard Osborne (in inglese, tedesco e francese), contenente ricchi spunti critici e aneddotici, ad esempio sui pittoreschi retroscena delle incisioni ciaikovskiane e sull'episodio di malasanità che pare abbia contribuito a privarci prematuramente di questo immenso interprete.

This Icon Box, which is excellent value for money, claims, not quite correctly, to contain all the recordings the great Russian pianist made for EMI. [For example, the 1966 London Schumann Nachtstucke, once on ASD 2483, is missing - apparently the rights belong to Melodya, which probably explains the absence.] All the items here were recorded between 1954 and 1972; in Paris, London, Cleveland and New York.The repertoire here is somewhat limited, insofar as we have two complete cycles of the Beethoven concertos - the earlier made in Europe with different conductors between 1954 [No.3 in mono] and 1957 [4&5 in stereo]; and the latter in Cleveland with Szell in 1968. [Frankly, I greatly prefer the versions Szell recorded earlier with Leon Fleischer; because here soloist and conductor often fail - as in the Emperor's first movement - to find a convincing, unified view about tempo, leading to an episodic approach to a work which requires singleness of vision.] In addition there are three short sets of Beethoven variations, but no sonatas. There are the three Tchaikovsky concertos from 1972, and earlier [mono] versions of Rachmaninoff 3 and Saint-Saens 2. Solo works include a Mozart sonata, K570; Chopin's Funeral March sonata, and three of the Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues Op. 87 [1,5&24].There is much to admire here: for me, the highlights are the earlier Beethoven 4 and 5, with Leopold Ludwig; the Saint-Saens, and the Shostakovich - truly stunning playing. The Rachmaninoff concerto gets a fairly laid-back performance, rather introverted, but with beautiful, lapidary pianism. This is a performance quite unlike, for example, the better known and more highly-charged versions from Horowitz and Argerich. The emphasis here is on poetry rather than bravura; and it has its own validity. The Tchaikovsky 2nd [Siloti version] with Maazel conducting, by contrast, is pure bravura and as exciting as once could wish.But this set leaves out [because recorded for other companies] many of the works for which Gilels is best known. There is no Scarlatti, Bach, Schubert, Schumann, Grieg, Brahms or Liszt here; no chamber music, no Beethoven sonatas. For those one must go to his earlier Russian and later recordings for DGG, and the small but excellent RCA and CBS legacy. Gilels also left many live performances; from London, Salzburg, Italy and elsewhere: and though these sometimes reveal a pianist who is not note-perfect, they often give a better, and more immediate picture of the great Lion of the Keyboard who will be familiar to those who heard him in the flesh.So while it is good to have almost all his EMI tapings gathered together in a single bargain box, those interested in the pianist's wider repertoire will need to look elsewhere for works with which he is most closely associated; in particular the Brahms concertos and late solo works, the Beethoven sonatas, and his Schubert and Liszt sonatas and shorter works, including the incomparable Grieg Lyric Pieces,But this set is not to be missed at the price, notwithstanding the Beethoven concerto duplications.[Edited and expanded on 16 June 2011]

Emil Gilels was one of the pianistic giants of the last century and this fine, and economical, boxed set of his EMI recordings is very welcome indeed.Of the two sets of Beethoven piano included, that recorded as a cycle in Cleveland with George Szell is the finest. At the time of its first issue it was overshadowed by that of Barenboim and Klemperer which meant it didn't get its fair share of publicity. It is certainly one of the very finest complete cycles available. Gilels' playing combines great musical insight, technical virtuosity and wonderful lyricism. Szell and his fine Cleveland Orchestra accompany superbly. They form a wonderful partnership and it is sad they recorded so little together. Some little heard Beetoven variations, recorded during the same sessions, make a splendid filler.The second set of Beethoven concertos - with a number of conductors and orchestras - is also very fine. Here the filler is a splendid performance of Mozart's piano sonata K570.Some collectors may be put off by this duplication of repetoire but all the Beethoven concerto performances are of such high quality that their inclusion here is greatly to be welcomed.The remaining three discs include all three of the Tchaikovky concertos in highly recommendable performances. Maazel and the New Philharmonia are fine partners. Also incuded are Rachmaninov's third concerto and Saint-Saens' second, three Shostakovich preludes and fugues, and an absolutely staggering performance of the Chopin 'funeral march' sonata.The booklet contains an excellent essay on Gilels, and these particular performances, by Richard Osborne. The remastering is excellent and the set as a whole can be recommended without reservation.

Voilà encore un coffret dans cette série épatante qui propose plein d'enregistrements exceptionnels comme le coffret  Hans Hotter Dans ce coffret vous aurez deux interprétations excellentes des 5 concertos de Beethoven. Chacune recèle des merveilles, mais mes préférences vont pour :1er et 2eme avec Vandernoot3eme avec Cluytens4eme et 5eme avec SzellLa version Szell est mieux enregistrée, dans laquelle Gilels fait preuve d'une fougue encore plus grande, verve dont lui seul est capable. L'influence des grands maitres russes est manifeste, et le jeu en ressort puissant et implacable, surtout dans le 5eme concerto.De Tchaikovski, l'interprétation de Gilels est superbe. Notamment dans le premier même si Mazeel s'emballe un peu avec des tempos très vif... presque précipités, comme dans le premier mouvement du numéro 1. De Rachmaninov Guilels nous livre un magnifique moment d'une farouche liberté, certainement fidèle a Rachmaninov.Bien sur ,les œuvres pour piano seul sont encore plus fortes. La sonate de Chopin magnifique, des variations Beethovenienne en diable et un Shostakovitch impétueux.Voilà donc un splendide coffret, qui complète bien les enregistrements DG sans les égaler toutefois. Hans Hotter

Sehr gute Konzerte , nur das 5. Kavierkonzert hat Aussetzer, trotzdem sehr zufrieden!